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THE Qabalistic Thoth Tarot KNIGHT OF WANDS. (Kings in the Golden Dawn, Connolly, B.O.T.A., Waite Deck, Night Sun Tarot etc.) & The Night Sun Tarot-KING OF WANDS.
There has been much confusion communicated by Tarot readers, concerning the implied meanings of the Court cards; the Kings are no exception.
In his great text book: The Qabalistic Tarot (a text book of mystical philosophy) Robert Wang wrote:
The four Kings or Figures mounted on Steeds [Golden Dawn and Crowley versions] represent Yod forces in the name of each suit, the Radix, Father and commencement of Maternal Forces. A Force in which all the others are implied and of which they form the development and completion. A Force swift and violent in action, but whose effect soon passes away, and therefore symbolized by a Figure on a steed riding swiftly, and clothed in complete amour.
This Hermetic Qabalah meaning may even confuse the issue more, unless the Tarot Reader understands that you cannot separate the Personality from the events that impose themselves upon it.
The Knight or King of Wands is the motive force behind the Alchemical Fire or Primal Fire (The Thoth Knight, carries the same wand as the Ace of Wands to illustrate this point) on the Qabalistic Tree of Life. This is a fiery personality with great motivational ability. Now remember, trying to divide the person from the event is pure folly, so here we have a passionate personality going through a deep-core "Will to Force" event. Old perceptions are being destroyed as fuel on this fire, so that new extended and liberated perspective gives birth to spiritual insight. You may call this positive male-power, as in electrical polarity, that forms a swift and occasionally violent personality with the capacity to accomplish long-term goals and handling extremely complex situations but is most often fierce, impetuous, impulsive and tends to act unpredictably.
A man's life is characteristic of himself.
-Carl G. Jung
As previously implied: To many tarot readers, the court cards often are the most confusing to read. This is because some authorities interpret them as people in a persons life, others as events and still others, as both people and events. Many Qabalistis see the court cards as archetypal- personality traits as well.
There is a good reason for all of this confusion ; the reason being because people are nearly always involved in events that are like some aspect of themselves. Since everything is one energy, there is no obvious separation between what we experience in the environment and what we are on the level of self-consciousness. It is a foolish attempt at best, when reading tarot, to try and divide the person from the event that is occurring. Such attempts at division could even be perilous. It pays to remember that events often happen to us because of ourselves rather then in spite of ourselves. We are a Psyche- creation who creates pyschosomatically. Hence, what we think, and/or emotionally "feel",becomes our reality.
The Knight of Wands and the Night Sun Tarot-King of wands represents the spiritual evolutionary in all of us. This is the Will-to-be part of ourselves that is unwilling to edit, rehearse, or hold back any part of who we are.This ferocity, is easily seen in the Art of the Night Sun Tarot. Symbols of fire abound in Fabio Listrani's art. With the symbol for the fire element as an upright triangle, the fire coming of of his "crown of thorns" and his red Mohawk hair cut, reminiscent of "wearing one's heart on one's head"; hence, he is passionate in his emotions, and holds nothing back. The Wands of Tarot are symbolized as serpent headed vines, in these expressive wand cards and the "lion of royalty", is also present as a royal garment. The Lion is a symbol used for the Sun, so here again is a fiery authority implied. The crown of thorns and the vines wrapping this king's feet, imply the inflexibility and sacrifices impose on the Law giver and/or ruler who is bound to his throne.
Upper left of the Night Sun Tarot Card, is the triangular symbol for Air, and on the upper right, the triangular symbol for fire. We all know how volatile air of fire is, we may even classify it as "hot air", of which this kingly personality has in considerable amounts.
The Thoth Tarot-rider of the unicorn horse is the symbol of vision and inspiration that has purpose and application. Positive male power that is dynamic and is in all of us, no matter the sex---that's why we are alive! You are a personal vision of your fiery Spirit!
The Thoth Tarot: KNIGHT (King) OF WANDS:
To reiterate: Chokmah is the Father God principle and is the first idea of Maleness. Binah, the Mother God, is the first idea of Femaleness. Here the Divine Creative begins the action of Sexual attraction; of the electric and magnetic actions of the Universal Creation.
This "God Sex" is often a hard one to explain to the self-absorbed who think sexuality as "pleasing moment" of conquest or some sort of shame imposed on them by their "nasty" body.
Those who have felt the deep and powerful Inner forces of Divine Sexuality are usually unable to mentally rationalize it. It is stunning and absolute attraction, like lightning striking steel. It isn't needy, or manipulative, it is as if two magnets of opposite polarity just "slam" together without resistance of any kind. It is so powerful, that there isn't any other person in the world, but the 2 who form as 1....one just knows this is the only mate. This purely energetic attraction is beyond rational thinking and the brain is stunned by it's lack of control over the situation. Therefore, this Powerful Energy attraction is called, "The Burning", reminiscent of the Fiery Spirit.
The Kingdom of Heaven, is all around you, and it is built from the attraction of opposites. To understand this powerful attraction we really have to re-think sexuality and understand the attraction of Chokmah and Binah; of the electric and the magnetic.The Universe is created by this often overwhelming technical activity of Union.
The Thoth Knights are the Kings, in many other decks: to Crowley, a king siting on a throne did not depict the Active power of a King. Thus, he calls them Knights, which are Kings, Armored, on mighty-chargers, undaunted by battle. The Knights represent Yod forces in each suit. The Yod is the Radix, and/or Father and commencement of Material Forces. All other forces are implied here, and as ideas they develop and commence in the Knight. As if volcanic, the Force of the Knight is swift, violent action, that also moves on swiftly. Thus the effects of this force soon pass away. One must remember, that Chokmah, is the "Will to Force", from which the Knight or King of Wands personality archetype is created from.
THE KNIGHT/KING OF WANDS: is the Lord of Flame and Lightning, king of the spirits of Fire, King of the Salamanders.
The last Decan of Scorpio and the first two Decans of Sagittarius are attributed to this card, The Knight of Wands is Specific Fire in Primal Fire on the Tree of Life.
Fire, in a alchemical-elemental sense, represents the active-vital Spirit Force of Movement that is in all Motion and yet it is also the tempering fire that melds together opposites for the construction of something more than either one. Spirit Fire is electric while Spirit Water is Magnetic, forming an electromagnetic Sexuality of "force and form", a technology invented by the Divine Creative.
Therefore,The Crowley card of the Knight of Wands is all about active force, a leaping black Charger mounted by a dark knight, depicting the Dark Fire of Dark Energy, that all Visible Light comes from and that visible light is depicted as the surrounding flames.
The knights crest is a horse head, implying the influence of Sagittarius, and he is in armor implying the qualities of the Spirit Fire that does battle for us all. The same Ace of Wands, is the Wand in His hand, implying that he is the vehicle for the Fire Force.
The characteristics of this Powerful Knight-King, are qualities of activity, such as, fierceness, impetuosity, pride, impulsiveness, swiftness in unpredictable actions.
If negative, he is evil-minded, cruel, bigoted, and brutal. In either case, his swiftness gives him no recourse to act otherwise, so he is ill fitted to modify his actions according to circumstances.
Great personal power, is often seen as arrogance by the weak of conviction, so this person is either Loved or hated, without "gray area" acquaintances. Those who doubt themselves, will be inclined to follow and thus secretly fear or hate such a powerfully active Spiritual Being who is unconcerned with how others react to them. Also this will be a person with a Great Libido, as Spiritual Fire and Sexuality are invariably linked, this is also a contention among the weak, whose very pusillanimous character deters the union of others. Also those who serve reaction rather than action, will either avoid or try to besmirch the Active Character of this, Kingly Spirit.
To the Astrologer, the Knight or King of Wands rules in the zodiac from 21 degrees Scorpio to 20 degrees Sagittarius.
- This tends to establish a personality that can sell "ice to Eskimos" because of his unrelenting charm, built out of amusement and optimism.
- He may also have an abundance of vision and foresight, all of which is passionately expressed.
- There is a degree of intolerance, so when pushed this person can become violent and unrelenting.
- Generally, The Knight of Wands is a dominant, hard to control person who is attractive but dangerous.
- When united with the Primal Water of Female-Magnetic polarity, this is a most attractive personality, and a deeply motivational event of empathy and healing, most like a warm tropical ocean.
- He is best in his performance when mated with a strong female equivalent. By himself, his very nature "becomes too hot" (as a Sun without an Ocean) and he tends to leave bodies behind him.
- WHEN THE KNIGHT or KING OF WANDS IS THROWN DURING A READING: it implies;
- A spiritual evolution is taking place at a deep core level. It is as if the past personality is fuel for a new phoenix- self arising from the flames
- Experiencing the conviction of Spirit with much inner to outward movement of energy and the manifestation of leadership skills.
- Positive male power, complete with the ability to focus on long term goals but with rapid movement that is able to handle complex situations.
- Strong minded and able to dominate others by force of will.
- A master of wit and charm, great sense of humor and warm and generous with a strong liking for fun.
- Can just about persuade anyone into anything.
- May be a highly empowered spiritual being. Which doesn't necessarily mean he has your best interest at heart. Spirit is Pure Mind, and doesn't see things in a personal way. Very Impersonal force without the conscience of the personal.
- A mature male whose inner and outer being are in mutual agreement and balance.
- One is releasing an old identity, like a serpent sheds its skin (the serpent suit the knight is wearing) and establishing a achievement-orientated,creative, and expressive self!
- This is a powerful person of a fiery nature: energetic, active, hard to control, attractive, but sometimes dangerous...which may add to his attractiveness.
The above blog is courtesy of the long running Thoth Tarot blog @ eli-lsmerchantile.com .
Thank you for your interest, comments and supportive donations. May you live long and prosper.
